HMS Poneke (1883)
A Defender-class torpedo boat, clearly showing the spar torpedo | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMS Poneke |
| Ordered | 26 August 1882[1] |
| Builder | John I. Thornycroft & Company |
| Cost | £12,600 for four boats |
| Yard number | 171[1] |
| Launched | 31 August 1883[1] |
| Commissioned | 18 September 1883[1] |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Defender-class torpedo boat |
| Displacement | 12 tons |
| Length | 62 ft 10 in (19.15 m) |
| Beam | 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) |
| Installed power | 173 hp (129 kW) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 17.3 kn (32.0 km/h) |
| Complement | 7[1] |
| Armament |
|
HMS Poneke was a colonial service Defender-class torpedo boat designed by Thornycroft & Company for the defence of New Zealand.[2] It was one of four built at Chiswick in 1883 and shipped to New Zealand. Poneke (yard number 171) was allocated for service in Wellington.[3]
The last two of the four torpedo boats were tested in September 1883,[4] and then shipped to Wellington on the sailing vessel Peter Stewart as deck cargo.[5]
The Poneke was launched in Wellington Harbour in October 1884, and went out into the harbour for a trial along with the Auckland torpedo boat.[6] Further trials of the two boats were held in Wellington Harbour on 29 October 1884.[7] In November, both of the torpedo boats were at a shipyard in Te Aro. The Wellington boat had suffered damage to a propellor.[8]
In April 1885, the Defence Department applied for consent for a slip and shed for the torpedo boat to be constructed alongside the Te Aro Baths.[9] Practice runs were held with crew from the Wellington Naval Artillery in June 1885.[10]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Winfield (2004) p.316
- ^ "The New Zealand torpedo boats". Evening Post. Vol. XXVI, no. 116. 14 November 1883. p. 3.
- ^ "Torpedo Bay Time-Line". navymuseum.mil.nz. Archived from the original on 2 June 2010.
- ^ "Auckland". Thames Star. Vol. XIV, no. 4591. 21 September 1883. p. 2.
- ^ "Mail Items". Thames Advertiser. Vol. XV, no. 4857. 8 May 1884. p. 3.
- ^ "The "Stand or Fall" Resolution". Evening Post. Vol. XXVIII, no. 104. 29 October 1884. p. 2.
- ^ "Untitled". Evening Post. Vol. XXVIII, no. 105. 30 October 1884. p. 2.
- ^ "Untitled". New Zealand Times. Vol. XLIII, no. 7326. 17 November 1884. p. 2.
- ^ "Harbour Board". Evening Post. Vol. XXIX, no. 77. 4 April 1885. p. 2.
- ^ "News in Brief". New Zealand Mail. No. 694. 19 June 1885. p. 17.
Sources
- The New Zealand Maritime Index Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
- Lyon, David & Winfield, Rif (2004). The Sail and Steam Navy List: All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815–1889. Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-032-6. OCLC 52620555.